WE GATHER TO WORSIP and we depart to serve. Thank you for being a part of the worship celebration of Unity this morning. If you would like more information about Unity church and its outreach to the community, please feel free to call the church office or see a member of the staff. Take a moment to fill out the attendance slip in your bulletin and place it on the offering plate so that we may know that you were here.THE ALTAR FLOWERS are given to the Glory of God and in celebration of Debra Huffman’s birthday on March 3 by Maurice and Donna Huffman. PROPERTY CONTACT FOR MARCH: Adrian Jones (256-7676)PRAYERS FOR MEMBERS WITH SPECIAL CONCERNS: Carol Anderson and family, Sandra Bowman, Lora Childers, Glenn Davis, David and Sharon Eichhorn, Amity Enci & family, Max Johnson, Shirley Raby, Margaret Reed, Dave Shannon, Carolyn Whisnant, Kathy Whisnant, Nathan Whitener and Unity Lutheran students. HOMEBOUND MEMBERS: Frances Anderson, Carl Fox, Clara Good, Bette Killian, Candyce Webb, Kenneth Webb. FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Betty Britton, Lana Teague, the family of Margarete Lowman, Jeff Ward, the family of Casey Rhinehart, Jean Starnes, Jason Church, Kristi West, Lynette Stoker, David Rector, Pastor Gary Weant, Libby Meisner, John Enci, and Tim Rapp. HOSPITALIZED: The office knows of no one at this time.

ANNOUNCEMENTSPRELUDE *CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS Page 94P: In the name of the Father, and the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C: AmenP: God of all mercy...our Savior and Lord. C: AmenP: Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Most merciful God,C: we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.P: In the mercy of almighty God...and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen*GATHERING SONG God Loved the World Hymn 323*APOSTOLIC GREETING & KYRIE Page 138P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C: And also with you.*PRAYER OF THE DAYP: Let us pray ... Christ our Lord. C: Amen.CHILDREN’S SERMONFIRST LESSON: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 A: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. 2And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ 3Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, 4‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 15 God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ PSALM 22:23-31 (Chant responsively by whole verse.) See back of announcement sheet.SECOND LESSON: Romans 4:13-25A: 13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ 23Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, were written not for his sake alone, 24but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Page 142C: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. P: The Holy Gospel according to Mark the 9th chapter. C: Glory to you, O Lord.*GOSPEL READING: Mark 8:31-38P: 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’P: The Gospel of our Lord. C: Praise to you, O Christ.SERMON Pastor John Woodard*HYMN OF THE DAY My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less Hymn 597*APOSTLES’ CREED C: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION A: Hear us, O God. C: Your mercy is great. *SHARING OF THE PEACEP: The peace of Christ be with you always. C: And also with you. WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGSOFFERTORY *OFFERING SONG Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful Hymn 184*HOLY COMMUNION P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you.P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to Lord.P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.*GREAT THANKSGIVING AND SANCTUS Page 152*COMMUNION PRAYER & WORDS OF INSTITUTION *THE LORD’S PRAYERC: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION(Communion will be by cup at the rail. Please come forward as directed. After receiving the sacrament return to your seat.)DISTRIBUTION HYMNS: Page 146, Hymn 595, 494*POST COMMUNION PRAYER*BLESSINGP: The Lord bless you and keep you.The Lord's face shine on you with grace and mercy.The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace. C: Amen.*SENDING SONG Rise Up, O Saints of God! Hymn 669*DISMISSAL A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.*POSTLUDE

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